Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-02-03
OONSECRATED.
impressive Dedicatory Services of the
New St Marks Church.
"e"' samuel uptohn, Formerly Rector.
Delivers the Sermon.

Inc beautiful Episcopal church edifce Of
Name granite. on Pleasant street, which has
been In process of construction since tho Low.
ine OF the corner stone, September oath,
1889, the comeliness and architectural
symmetry of which so pleases tn. eve. was
impressively and fttingly consecrated TO the
worship of Almighty God, yesterday. 1t
was glad day for St. Marks Parish and
one which they had anticipated with
no small amount of pleasure. The
day was that known as the Feast Of the
Presentation Of Christ in the Temple, com
monty called the Purifcliion. AT 10 80 the
hour for the ceremony to begin, the new
edifce was completely filed with people, and
It's ability to contain large sized congrpga.
ton was demonstrated. Not only were the
members of ST. Marks parish in attendance,
but many from the other churches and sever
al OF the pastors added their presence,
gratifrd and happy that their
friends of St Marks were meeting
for the first time beneath the roof of
their new temple. There were also many
people from out of town and neighborinp
cities, including Bangor and Portland, pres
ent.
The appearance of the interior of the
church was really artistic and ell CANT. The
beauty OF the design, the harmonious blend.
lug OF the frescolng and decorating, the mel
low, uncertain lights falling from the many
colored windows, the gilded organ pipes, all
combined to form a picture exceedingly
agreeable to the eye; and the senses were
still further pleased by the sweet strains of
the remodeled organ, Prof. Hyde organist.
The acoustic properties Of the interior were
excellent.
The clergy in attendance were, Right Rev.
ii. A. Nicely, Bishop Of Maine, Rev Canons
Stills of Portland. Pyne of Wiscasset, Rev.
Messrs. Upjohn of Germanton, Phla., Parke,
d. ID. of Bath, Wellman of Richmond, Saw
yer of Houiton, Holbrook of Brunswick,
Ogden and Little of Portland. Jones of Cam
den, Wells of Gardiner, Mclaughlin of
Waterville, Martin and Gwynne of Augusta.
The procession of choir and clergy formed
at the rectory adjoining, preceded by a boy
bearing professional cross of polished brass
The Bishop at the head of the line of about
forty chorsters and clergy, advanced to the
main entrance in the tower and was met BY
the Vestry. MIR. James Bridge, the Senior
Warden, then read the following request to
consecrate.
Reverend Father in God;
We, the rector, wardens. AMI vestrymen
of St Marks church, Augusta, present to
you this building for the worship of Almighty
God, and request that you conseCrate it for
that holy use.
And VIC do hereby certify you that the said
building is free from all debt, lien, and en-
cumbrance, by force of which 1t might be
alienated from the custody and use to which
it is thus devoted"
The procession then advanced up the nave,
the vestry following. while the Bishop and
choir ana clergy Gang alternately the verses
of the 24th psalm, appointed in the service
for cOnsecratiOn.
The special prayers for conservation fol-
lowed after which, the sentence of consecra-
ton was read by the rector, and then laid by
the Bishop upon the altar.
After the singing of the beautiful conse-
Grafton hymn "Thv Temple is not made
with hands" to Old Hundredth in which all
joined with magnificent effect, Morring
Holy Communion followed.
The sermon, by the Rev. Samuel Uplohn,
rector of 81. Luke's church, Germantown,
Phia and former rector of st Marks had
for its subject the House andthe glory viii h
fills i'll. Kings, 8 Ill For the Glory of
the Lord filled the House OF the Lord"
After speaking of the dedication of the
Temple on Mount Moriah, as the day of
great JOY, and the mystery of the indwelliDg
majesty as the power and glory of Israel,
the preacher said, the occasion gives us war
rant to take account in measure of the glory
which ills the House What the House is,
and what the glory is will make themselves
known as we proceed.
He then spoke of the first Adam, the mas
terpece of original creative wisdom, as a
habitation in which glory rested, taberna-
Gle strengthened and adorned with grace, with
innocence as its beginning and for its destl-
nation holiness destination not fulfilled,
for when Adam fell the light which had il
lumined the House and shone through, every
power and gift was taken away. Was this,
then. to be the end of this original? Or was
the first Adam to be succeeded by second.
Who should retrieve, on the old foundations,
the broken fortunes of the first? Such, in
deed WAS the divine counsel. The Son of
God honored his first creation by Himself
becoming the Son of Man. As such He re-
formed broken model recalled to it its for
feited glory, and proclaimed to His brethren,
''Ye are Gods workmanship, ye are Gods
building" We have, then, in the lncarnate
Son, building of God, not made with
hands, eternal" In this way only could we
build anew therefore He built so, to show Us
how, and not only for this, but that he might
impart to us of that virtue, which at every
stage in the building, He wrought into it, as
it is written, I'm whom We also are buiided
together for An habitation of God through the
Spirit" And again. as has been said. Jesus
Christ has succeeded in making of every hu
man soul an appe adage of his own
Now this holy fabric of the lncarnate Son,
possesses and exhibits for reproduction these
three integral characteristics steadfastness,
proportion. beauty.
After briefly showing these three
notes as exhibited in the charac-
ter of Christ, the preacher pro
ceeded: If He (Jesus Christi found it
expedient to withdraw his visible presence, il
was to the intent that he might edify or build
the body, which henceforth was to be His
tulluess. We look, then, to see traced upon
the church the marks of this second original,
we look for steadfsstness, proportion, beauty.
|. When He gave command, Go ye,
therefore, and teach all nations, baptisinQ
them" in the thrice holy Name, and after
wards sent the Spirit, then weakness ceased
then strength began. The broken Will re.
gained its tension, formed its purpose and